By CRM Staff
Washington, D.C. — February 14, 2018 — A new initiative launched at the U.S Senate Auto Caucus briefing, to recover and recycle two million car batteries. The campaign is called the 2 Million Battery Challenge.
A group of industry experts including battery manufacturers, retailers, recyclers and users dedicated themselves to the cause, vowing to practice responsible manufacturing, use and recycling operations when it comes to vehicle batteries. The goal is to achieve a recycling rate of 100 percent. The largest challenge is getting consumers to bring in old vehicle batteries to a participating retailer for recycling.
“The latest automotive industry research shows that 12 percent of consumers still have a dead or unusable vehicle battery at home in a garage or old vehicle and not in the closed recycling loop,” said Pat Hayes, executive director of the Responsible Battery Coalition, the organization leading the effort. “That’s enough batteries to equal the weight of 1,000 semi-trucks or enough to line the length of 8,000 football fields.”
Ramon Sanchez, Ph.D., of the Harvard University School of Public Health and chair of the Responsible Battery Coalition’s Science Advisory Board added, “The recycling of vehicle batteries is one of the great achievements in protecting public and environmental health. With 99 percent of the vehicle batteries in North America currently being recycled, we are reducing pollution including the greenhouse emissions caused from sourcing new battery materials. Getting the remaining two million batteries recycled will make this positive impact even better.”
Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), co-chair of the caucus, commended the Responsible Battery Coalition’s members for their environmental stewardship. “What has been achieved by this industry is remarkable and stands as an example to others around the world. I applaud them for wanting to do better,” he said.
The 2 Million Battery Challenge will utilize a combination of online advertising and social media engagement to inform consumers that their used batteries can and should be properly disposed at a location near them. These locations are often automotive aftermarket retailers or municipal recycling centres. “We want to make this as easy as possible for people,” said Hayes. “Our campaign directs consumers to a page on our website that will allow them to locate the collection centre nearest them. All they need to do is bring the battery in and our partners will do the rest.”
For more information visit responsiblebatterycoalition.org.
